An evaluation of biomaterials and osteobiologics for arthrodesis achievement in spine surgery

An estimated 300,000 patients in the United States undergo spinal fusion procedures annually for a variety of spinal pathologies in the context of trauma, deformity, and degenerative conditions (1,2). The goal of arthrodesis or fusion is to induce bony bridging between two or more adjacent vertebrae to eliminate motion between the segments (3,4). For this purpose, instrumentation such as pedicle screws, rods, hooks, or interbody devices may or may not be applied (5,6). However, independent of the instrumentation utilized to achieve fusion, the local milieu and biological potential for fusion can be altered utilizing a variety of materials